Washing machine



June s, 1943.

M. M. JAcKseN WASHING MACHINE.

Filed July 29, 1942 ',111'. Alfil [11,111111 IAWENTOR, MER/.WM JACKSON A7' TORNEK Patented )une 8, 1943 a UNITED 9 s'rA'ras A PATENT oar-Ica I'Merlin Jackson. San Jose. (Jllll.

Application nu; te. m2, No. sans a s claims. wl. es-v-isz) i The presentinvention lates to improvements in washing machinesan has particularreference to the type of washing machines which is adapted forcooperation' with a conventional laundry tray. Washing machines of thistype usually include an elongated base adapted to be placed on top of alaundry-tray. means for fastening the base, an agitator suspended fromthe base and extending into the tray, a wringer attachment and a clutchmechanism for driving the same, a motor-and a general drive mechanismwherebypower may selectively be applied tothe agitator or t'o thewringer. v

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a washingmachine of this type that is exceedingly simple. in construction, wellortion so as to be adapted for discharge'into either tray section. It sohappens that a clutch mechanism for a wringernttachment, mounted on thebase f the washing machine. also mustbe positioned over the saidpartition to allow of discharge of the wringer into either tray,'and itis usually found that this clutchfmechanism, with lol ganized, and inwhich all the moving parts are arranged to be subjected to a continuousflow of oil or lubricant, while at the same time no oil or lubricant mayescape into the laundry-tray.

More particularly it is proposed to provide 'a supportingbase-includinga casing having a iiat bottom and an underslung section foraccommodating the motor whereby the motor shaft4 is brought down to lie'fiat on the bottom of the casing for simplifying the drive mechanism,and whereby'the underslung section at the same time may be used as anabutment to cooperate with other means in clamping the base upon thetray. It is further proposed to arrange the entire drive mechanism insuch a manner that all the parts thereof lie substantially in thesameplane. or rather between two closely related planes immediately above'the iloor of the casing, whereby the general arrangement is greatlysimplified.

It is further proposed to arrange all the work- Ving parts within thecasing in such a manner that loil is circulated in the casing at alltimes when the machine is `in operation so as to deliver av continuousflow of oil to all themoving partsv while preventing the .oil fromreaching the laundry tray. It is a further object of the invention toutilize the particular arrangement of the drive mechanism forlubricating the clutch mechanism by subjecting the latter to acontinuous spray of oil by the rapid rotation of a worm used in thedrive mechanism.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a washing machineof the character described that may be easily installed withoutrequiring any plumbing -nperationn The double tray, in connection withwhich the washing'machine is used, is as a rule provided with a swingingfaucet spout mounted over the central parti- `of Figure i.

a superimposed housing, interferes with the faucet spout and requires acertain amount of adjustment to be made in the plumbing beforethe-washing machine can be properly positioned.

It is proposed in the present invention to provide an arrangementwhereby the clutch mechanism and its housing-are set back from the rearedge'of the machine suillciently far to leave ample space for theswinging .milt

And finally I propose to provide a washing machine of the type describedLthat is economic in operation, easy to manipulate and attractive in Iappearance. v

Further objects and advantages of the invention `will appear as thespecification proceeds.

The preferred formbf-my invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figure 1 shows' a plan view of my machine, a certainportion being broken away,

Figure 2 a front elevation of the same, Figure 3 an end view of themachine.

Figure 4 a section taken along line' 4-4 of Figure 2, L f

Figure 5 a fragmentary section taken along line B-l of Figure 3, and

.Figure 6 a vertical section takenalong line t-i While I have shownonlythe preferred form of my invention, itgshould be understood thatvari ous changes and modifications may be made within the scope of theclaims attached hereto without departing from the vspirit of theinvention. s

Referring to the drawing in detail, a conventional laundry tray isfragmentarily shown at A.

as set up against the wall B, andas being divided into two sections byKa central partition C. A double faucet for hot and cold water isindicated at D and has a swinging spout E disposed over the partition C.

My washing machine comprises, in its principal features, a base I, amotor 2, a clutch mechanism infor the wringer, a drive pinion l for theagitator, and a general drive mechanism whereby power may be selectivelytransmitted to) the clutch mechanism or the agitator pinion.

The base i is an elongated, rectangular Istructure having 4a downwardlyprojecting flange t witha ilat bottom edge-'I adapted torest on twoopposing walls ofthe laundry tray indicated at A. It includes in itsprincipal features a horizontal casing 8 having a flat bottom 9, vand aned to abut against one of the walls'of the tray when the base as a wholelies on the tup thereof. A screw I2 is slidably mounted in two bracketsI3 projecting downwardly from the base, and may be operated by means ofa nut I4 to be moved outward so as to cause its head I5 to bear on theopposing wall' or partition of the tray for clampingly securing the basein place.

The underslung section I0 has suitable supporting brackets I8 formounting the motor therein, and should be sumciently deep to bring themotor shaft I1, which includes a flexible coupling I8, slightly abovethe flat bottom of the casing 8. The outer end of theshaft I1 issupported in two brackets I9, and is provided with a worm 28 between thetwo brackets.

'I'he worm 20 drives the worm gear 2| on a vertical shaft 22, whichlatter is supported at the bottom in a bearing 23, and at the top in abearing 24 in the housing 29 for the clutch mechanism 3, the housingforming part of a cover plate 28 for the casing held in position by anumber of screws 21. The clutch mechanism which is intended forconnection to the` wringer, not shown, should be arranged centrally overthe tray partition C, to allow discharge of the wringer into either traysection. 'I'he worm gear 2| ,lies horizontally over the bottom of thecasing, in the same plane with the worm 20, and an eccentric 281sarranged immediately above the worm gear to rotate with the shaft 22.The clutch mechanism comprises two bevel gears 29 and 30 loose ontheshaft and meshing with a third bevel gear 3|, and a clutch member 32slidable on the shaft and adapted to be held in neutral position betweenthe bevel gears and tobe shifted into engagement with either of thebevel gears for transmitting rotary motion in either direction to thelthird gear 3|, which latter is connected to drive a wringer, not shownin the drawing.

The pinion 4 is arranged in the end of the casing opposite the clutchmechanism and near the motor.. This pinion serves as a driving means foran agitator, which is supported, by means not shown, on a bushing 33rising from the bottom of the casing inside the pinion. A suitablemechanism, indicated at 3|, is used for releasably connecting the pinionto the agitator.

A quadrant 3l is pivoted to the bottom of the casing, as at 35, and istoothed to mesh with the pinion I. The quadrant is actuated for rockingmotion about its pivot by means of.a connecting rod 38 pivoted to thequadrant, as at 31, and having its other end connected to the eccentric28. As the quadrant is rocked back and forth, the agitator is turnedback and forth in the familiar manner employed in most washing machines.

In operation, for washing, the clutch member 32 is moved to neutralposition bymeans of the handle 38,- and the agitator is connected to thepinion 4 by operation of the handle 4I. As the motor is turned on, theworm on the shaft I'I rotates the worm gear 2| and the eccentric 28, and

- the latter imparts, through the link 38, rocking Imotion to thequadrant 34, which thence is transmitted to the pinion 8 and theagitator.

. the worm gear 2 I, the eccentric For wringing. the vagitator isdisconnected from the pinion 4, by operation of the handle II, and theclutch member 32 is .engaged with one Si tlg:r bevel gears 29, 38, byoperation of the hane It will be noted the operating parts of thedriving mechanism lie substantially in the same plane, or atleast areconned between two closely related horizontal planes immediatelyadjacentjthe bottom of the casing. This includes the shaft l1, the worm2l,

28, the connecting link 39, the quadrant 3l, and the pinion 4. Assumingthat there is a`generous amount of oil present in the casing, sufficientfor the worm 28 to dip into, the latter, through its-rapid rotation,will act as a pump and will causev continuous cirlculation of the oilthroughout the casing. It

should be notedthat the bushing 33 inside the pinion 4 is permanentlyfixed in place and 'does not permit of any leakage Vtoward the agitatorandA into the wash tray. f e

At the same time the wurm zo. which 'rotates very rapidly, continuouslypicks up oil from the general reservoir and discharges the same upwardlytoward the clutch mechanism, in the form of a fine spray, which servesto keep the entire clutch mechanism well lubricated at all times.

v may be provided 8 of the base is set This will be readily understoodby reference to Figure 4. The oil slowly runs down again over thedifferent partsl of the clutch mechanism, and a considerable partthereof collects on the eccentric and from there ows over the connectinglink 86 to the quadrant and the pinion 4, thereby keeping these partsthoroughly lubricated. The connecting rod and the quadrant with suitableflanges 42 for guiding the oil along the lengths thereof.

Attention is called to thefact that in the arrangement shown the worm'29 is mountedY opposite the bevel gear 3| so that the latter does notinterfere with the spraying operation and receives the full benefitthereof.

Due to the arrangement described, the casing forward of the underslungsection I0, while again the clutch mechanism with its housing 29ispositioned forwardly of the main drive shaft Il. This leaves amplespace between the clutch housing .25 and the wall B to allow of freeswinging movement of the spout E, without requiring any alterations inthel plumbing, which is very desirable because usually the salesman whoinstalls the washing machine is not a licensed plumber and not familiarwith plumbing operations.

I claim:

l. In a tray washing machine, an elongated casing adapted to rest on awash tray and having a ilat bottom and front and rear walls. anunderslung section at one end of the casing and being adapted to lieagainst one wall of thetray. a motor disposed in the underslung sectionand having a shaft extending along the rear wall of the casing in closeproximity thereto-and having a worm at the far. end thereof, a clutchmechanism mounted forwardly of the worm and having a horizontallydisposed worm gear meshing'with the latter, an eccentric on. topof'theworm gear and immediately adjacent thereto. a pinion for drivingan agitator shaft at -the near `end of the casing, a quadrant pivoted tothe flat bottom of that in this'arrangement all of.

the connecting rod and the shaft being spaced horizontally throughoutthe lengths thereof and disposed in close proximity to the bottom of thecasing. l

2. In a tray washing machine, an elongated casing adapted to rest on awash tray and having a fiat bottom and front and rear walls. anunderslung section at one end of the casing and being adapted to lieagainst one wall of the tray, a motor disposed in the underslung sectionand having a shaft extending along the rear wall of the casing in closeproximity thereto and having a worm at the far end thereof, a clutchmechanism mounted forwardly of the worm and having a horizontallydisposed worm gear meshing with the latter, an eccentric on top of theworm gear and immediately adjacent thereto. a pinion for driving anagitator shaft at the near end of the casing, a quadrant pivoted to theat bottom of the casing in driving relation to the pinion and forwardlyof the motor shaft and in substantially the same horizontal plane, aconnecting rod between the eccentric and the quadrant for driving thelatter, the connecting rod and the shaft being spaced horizontallythroughout the lengths thereof and disposed in close proximity to thebottom of the casing, and adjustable means underneath the casingengageable with the opposite wall of the tray to cooperate with theunderslung section in clamping the casing upon the wallsyof thetray.

3. In a tray washing machine, an elongated casing adapted to rest on awash tray and having a fiat bottom and front and rear walls, a

shaft extending along the rear wall of the casing in close proximitythereto and having a worm at the far end thereof, a clutch mechanismmounted forwardly of the worm and having Va horizontally disposed wormgear meshing with the latter, an eccentric on top of the worm gear andimmediately adjacent thereto, a pinion for driving an agitator shaft atthe near end of the casing, a quadrant pivoted to the fiat bottom of thecasing in driving relation to the pinion and forwardly of the motorshaft and in substantially the same horizontal plane, and a connectingrod between the eccentric and the quadrant for driving the latter. theconnecting rod and the shaft being spaced horizontally throughout thelengths thereof and disposed in close proximity to the bottom of thecasing.

MERLIN M. JACKSON.

